Laptop Distribution

Laptop and charger (and headphones for high school). 

Families will check out laptops at their student’s assigned school. If you have students at more than one school, you will need to go to each school separately.  

Tacoma Online students will also pick up laptops from their home school. (For choice enrollment student this is your previously assigned school, not your neighborhood school.) 

No. Laptops can be picked up by a parent/guardian or student. Parents/guardians picking up without a student should bring identification and the school will look them up in the student database. 

Non-guardians or siblings cannot pick up a laptop for a student. If a parent/guardian or student cannot make it to their assigned time-slot they can work with their school to make alternative arrangements. 

Yes. To meet Health Department requirements for social distancing we ask families to only attend at their assigned time. If you come at a different time you may be asked to leave. If you cannot attend at the allotted time frame, please work with your school to make alternative arrangements. 

No. Students and parents may opt to purchase a protective case, sleeve, or bag at a retailer of their choice. 

Yes, students may use personal devices to access remote learning. 

Yes. However, it is important to understand the benefits of using a district laptop. An opt-out form is currently being developed for families that chose to use a personal device.

1. All students require a laptop to access instructional material and content as presented and assigned by the teacher. If your student uses a personal laptop in place of the TPS-issued laptop, the personal device must be a portable laptop with a screen and keyboard, running Microsoft Windows 10. Smartphones, tablet readers, iPads, desktops, Chromebooks, and wearable technologies are not acceptable substitutes for a TPS laptop. 

2. TPS student applications and software cannot be installed on personally-owned laptops. As a result, parents will need to purchase and install the required software on the personally-owned laptop. Teachers and teams at each school make instructional choices. Families should contact the teacher for the necessary software information. The inability of the personal laptop to access licensed software may impact your student’s instructional experience. 

3. The personally-owned laptop must run Microsoft Office products and TPS-approved internet browsers. 

4. Tech support is not available for personally-owned devices. In-person and remote tech support is open to all students using TPS-issued laptops. 

5. Student laptops include a warranty that covers regular use, mechanical breakdown, or faulty construction and will provide replacement parts necessary to repair the laptop or laptop replacement, ensuring students aren’t without a working computer. The warranty does not warrant against damage caused by misuse, abuse, or accidents.  

6. Personally-owned laptops are not allowed on the district network. Personal devices can connect to the TPS guest wireless network, which affords limited access and may prevent your student from using all district resources. 

7. The personally-owned laptop must be brought to school each day fully charged. TPS is not capable of providing day use laptops. 

8. TPS is not responsible for web filtering or blocking inappropriate content on the personal laptop. TPS student devices include remote web filtering software active both while on and away from the district campus. 

Yes. Devices distributed in the spring are for student’s personal use. Devices being issued this fall to students are loaned devices. 

1. If your student uses a personal laptop in place of the TPS-issued laptop, the personal device must be a portable laptop with a screen and keyboard, running Microsoft Windows 10. Smartphones, tablet readers, iPads, desktops, Chromebooks, and wearable technologies are not acceptable substitutes for a TPS laptop. 

2. TPS student applications and software cannot be installed on personally-owned laptops. As a result, parents will need to purchase and install the required software on the personally-owned laptop. Teachers and teams at each school make instructional choices. Families should contact the teacher for the necessary software information. The inability of the personal laptop to access licensed software may impact your student’s instructional experience. 

3. The personally-owned laptop must run Microsoft Office products and TPS-approved internet browsers. 

4. Tech support is not available for personally-owned devices. In-person and remote tech support is open to all students using TPS-issued laptops. 

5. Student laptops include a warranty that covers regular use, mechanical breakdown, or faulty construction and will provide replacement parts necessary to repair the laptop or laptop replacement, ensuring students aren’t without a working computer. The warranty does not warrant against damage caused by misuse, abuse, or accidents. 

6. Personally-owned laptops are not allowed on the district network. Personal devices can connect to the TPS guest wireless network, which affords limited access and may prevent your student from using all district resources. 

7. The personally-owned laptop must be brought to school each day fully charged. TPS is not capable of providing day use laptops. 

8. TPS is not responsible for web filtering or blocking inappropriate content on the personal laptop. TPS student devices include remote web filtering software active both while on and away from the district campus. 

The student's laptop is a vital learning tool and is for educational purposes only. Students are required to accept the following responsibilities: 

As a TPS student, I will:  

• Comply with TPS Acceptance and Liability guidelines and the Acceptable Use for Digital Resources policy and regulation 6973R 

• Use the equipment for educational purposes only.  

• Abide by district policies and federal/state laws, including copyright laws.  

• Use good behavior; using district technology for political, personal, or private gain, individual business, or commercial advantage is prohibited.   

• Use digital resources in a legal, moral, and ethical manner.  

• Not use digital resources for illegal purposes to harass, intimidate, or bully or to access or possess obscene pornographic or other inappropriate materials.    

• Never share or swap laptops with another student. Keep your password CONFIDENTIAL. 

• Not mark the laptop in any way with markers, stickers, etc. 

• Not remove Tacoma Public Schools labels or asset tags. 

• Not insert foreign objects into openings of the laptop. 

• Not eat or drink near the laptop. 

• Bring the laptop to school fully charged with power cords daily. 

Devices are turned in at the end of the school year or when students:  

• leave the district,  

• transfer to another TPS school,  

• or graduate.  

Students will turn in the laptop, charger, and headphones to the school who initially issued the equipment. 

Failing to return a laptop may result in actions outlined in TPS Regulation 3520R, Student Fees, Fines, Charges. 

Students will be required to follow the TPS Acceptance and Liability guidelines and the Acceptable Use for Digital Resources policy and regulation 6973R while using the laptop.

Yes, when the district returns to on-campus learning, students will take the laptops home in the evening and will be required to bring them back to school each day when attending classes on campus. The laptops must be charged and available for student use during regular school hours when used for distance learning.  

Loaner laptops are not available to students who report to school without their laptops. Individual schools will provide additional guidance. 

The Foundation for Tacoma Students is working with community partners to provide access to internet services.  Please see the foundation’s website for additional resources. Click here: https://www.tacomalearns.org/laptopinternet or email tech@graduatetacoma.org. 

Students may also connect to district WiFi when near a school building. 

In 2018 Tacoma voters passed a technology levy to invest in Tacoma students, the levy funding makes it possible to purchase needed devices. 

The Technology Department held a Tech Fair and collected 459 evaluations from attendees. The results of those evaluations, paired with recommendations from our district technicians and pricing quotes provided by the vendor, established Dell as the winning device.  View additional details regarding the evaluation process.

If the laptop is stolen, vandalized, or irreparably damaged, students must immediately report the incident to the school administrator. The Purchasing department will review all reports and determine a replacement cost. Using optional insurance may cover all or some of the replacement costs; however, you must purchase the insurance when you receive the laptop. 

On School Property: 

1. Report the loss/theft to your principal, who will follow District Loss Reporting Procedures.  

Off School Property:  

1. File a police report.  

2. Report the incident to your principal or school administrator. Provide a copy of the police report.  

Students will be required to pay a fee if their laptop is intentionally damaged, stolen, or lost. The cost is based on the age of the computer and the specific repairs required. 

Homeowners or renters insurance may provide coverage for your district-issued laptop. You will need to verify coverage with your insurance company. 

The following companies provide insurance for electronic devices:  

Securranty - https://securranty.com/Warranties.aspx 

Asurion - https://www.asurion.com/protect-your-device 

Safeware - https://www.safeware.com/Products-Services/K-12/Laptop-Insurance 

GoCare - https://gocare.com/laptops 

Worth Ave. Group - https://www.worthavegroup.com/product/laptop-insurance/ 

These companies are not affiliated with or do business with Tacoma Public Schools. This list is not an endorsement by TPS of any company or service they offer. We are merely providing them as a reference. Please investigate and research these and other companies that offer this service before purchasing to determine what is best for you and your family. 

Personal insurance purchases or financial obligations are between you and the company you choose. The district has no access or visibility to your insurance policy, and TPS will not be part of any claims process other than to verify the device was issued to your student.  

You are responsible for initiating and managing any claims or reimbursements with the company issuing the policy. The insurance carrier will decide if your claim constitutes accidental vs. intentional abuse.   

Student laptops include a 4-year warranty for normal wear and tear. Dell warrants the laptops from defects in materials and workmanship. This limited warranty covers regular use, mechanical breakdown, or faulty construction and will provide replacement parts necessary to repair the laptop or laptop replacement. The warranty does not warrant against damage caused by misuse, abuse, or accidents. Students willsubmit a work order through SolarWinds to initiate warranty repair. 

Students can get technology assistance by clicking the student HELP icon (blue circle with a question mark) on their desk top. Students may receive assistance in the following manner: 

• In-person, on-campus help from a district field technician 

• Over-the-phone, remote help from a district field technician. 

• Remote assistance via computer from a district technician. 

• Digital online resource options available in both SolarWinds and the Digital Campus. 

Middle and high school students are receiving different devices, so first set up is a different. Every student should receive a specific instruction for their device at pick-up.

High school students will need to complete what is called provisioning, students cannot log in and use their computers until the provisioning is complete. Provisioning is designed to be done on a home network, not TPS10.

• Download middle school getting started directions
• Download high school getting started directions